


Moments Frozen in Time

by littlewonder



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angry Confession, Angry!John, Balloon!John, Bickering, Episode Fix-It: s04e01 The Six Thatchers, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining!Sherlock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-20
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-10-21 06:32:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10679667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlewonder/pseuds/littlewonder
Summary: John is leaving balloon substitutes around for Sherlock. Sherlock in finally fed up.





	Moments Frozen in Time

Sherlock was hearing out the case of Trelawney Hope, Lord Bellinger, and a document of National Importance, just looking for an excuse to reject it: bored. They made it easy for him when they refused to explain the whole of their case.

“You two are clearly busy men,” said Sherlock. “So am I. Sorry, can’t help you. Don’t call again; I really hate to waste my time.”

“Well, I never --“ began Bellinger.

“Fine,” said Hope. “You’re right, of course. It’s unreasonable to expect you to take our case unless we let you into our full confidence.”

“Yes. I suppose,” said Bellinger begrudgingly, with a glare to Hope.

“Then I will tell you. I hope you’d want to help your country, but I’ll settle on the hope of this remaining in the confidence of you and your… companion.”

Sherlock stiffened at the implication, and turned to John’s chair -- and froze.

A balloon. Another goddamn balloon. This one was blue, with an expression drawn upon it that appeared lovingly amazed, with its ‘o’ mouth, round eyes, and raised eyebrows. “For GOD’S sake -- Excuse me just a moment…”

He bolted down the stairs. “JOHN!”

It was Mrs. Hudson who appeared at the bottom of the stairs. “Ooh! What’s all this fuss about?”

“John. Where is John?” he asked sharply.

“Oh! Hold on, I’ll go and fetch him…” She turned and headed back down the hall, but then froze.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Hudson, I’m here,” said John, somewhere unseen below him. Mrs. Hudson disappeared, and John appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

There was something somehow both vulnerable and angry in John’s expression. The balloon really was a poor substitute for the miracle that was John’s face. Even in just this frozen moment of time, he saw everything he loved about John in his face… and every inadequacy he felt in himself about deserving John.

“What is it?” complained John.

Sherlock tried to put his wall of anger back up again. “You abandoned me -- again. The balloon. I have some very important clients, and you made a fool of me in front of them.”

“Since when did you give a damn what your clients think of you?”

Sherlock didn’t really have a response to that. “I want you up there,” he said instead.

“Could’ve fooled me,” said John. “I thought I was just a _loyal dog_. I thought you preferred Mary.”

“Of course I don’t…”

“Really? Then why did you try to push me out? What exactly is going on with you two anyway, are you two conspiring something against me? Are you just trying to make me miserable? Jesus, all I want is a little break from --“ He gestured in frustration with his arms, “--this!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You. Mary. Feeling like I’m nothing to you! Feeling like you don’t need me! Feeling… broken, feeling like I’m all alone without you.”

“You’re not broken, John.”

“Aren’t I?” he cried. “Because every day, I feel like I’m just going through the motions. I feel like I’m living someone else’s life. I feel like I’m trapped.”

Sherlock took a step down towards John, reaching out. John stepped back. “No. Don’t. You don’t… no.”

Sherlock lowered him arm. He didn’t know what to say or do to make this better. “John. I…”

“No, you don’t.”

“I don’t care about Mary. I didn’t choose her because I like her better. I _love_ \--“

Sherlock froze. John looked up at him, scared. “What?” asked John.

Sherlock lowered his head in defeat. “I love you.”

When he looked at John, all the anger had dissipated. A look of love and of shock, that real look the balloon could never compare to, had now crossed John’s face. 

“You love me.” It wasn’t quite, but Sherlock could hear the unspoken question in his voice, and in his eyes.

“Yes,” answered Sherlock.

John leaped up the first two steps, then paused, unsure. Sherlock descended the steps towards him until he was standing in front of John. He leaned in…

And John closed the distance, kissing Sherlock on the lips. The kiss was tender, at first unsure but then transforming into the culmination of years of passion both men had withheld from each other. They pulled each other in tighter, and closer, until they were hot, hard and panting against each other.

Begrudgingly, Sherlock was the one to finally break for air. But even then, he couldn’t pull himself from leaning his forehead against John’s, breathing him in. “I still have a case upstairs…” he purring in a low, sultry voice.

“God. Give me a minute, yeah?”

“I’ll be waiting…”

And Sherlock ascended the stairs, away again, leaving John gasping in his wake.


End file.
